


Love Me Tender

by sabaceanbabe



Category: True Blood
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-23
Updated: 2010-08-23
Packaged: 2017-10-11 05:25:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/108889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sabaceanbabe/pseuds/sabaceanbabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>For the first time in forever, Hoyt felt like a normal guy doing normal things with his girl.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Love Me Tender

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for round 1 challenge 2 - _involuntary singing_ \- at [](http://community.livejournal.com/trueblood_las/profile)[**trueblood_las**](http://community.livejournal.com/trueblood_las/) and I tied with [](http://ladyofspring.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladyofspring**](http://ladyofspring.livejournal.com/) for favorite story, this time around. And that was even with a little search-and-replace issue when I changed my mind on a number and didn't get them all fixed before submitting the fic. \o/ Considering I voted for Lady of Spring's fic as _my_ favorite, this makes me very happy.

Jessica was a coolness pressed against Hoyt's side, a faintly dusty but sweet scent in his nostrils. The cacophony of the carnival swirled around them as they walked; lights flashed, music pounded, carnies shouted each other down, all trying to draw in that last dollar, that last mark.

He and Jessica had been there for hours, laughing and talking, playing like little kids. Hoyt couldn't remember when he'd had a better time, and while it wasn't exactly their first date, it was the first date they'd had since that Maryann person had got her claws on Bon Temps. For the first time in forever, he felt like a normal guy doing normal things with his girl. Well, except that she wasn't exactly a normal girl, what with the immortal thing and the blood.

Just then she pulled away from his side and for a semi-panicked instant he thought she somehow knew what he'd been thinking and that he'd hurt her feelings. But when she ran over to one of the booths and clapped her hands, all but squealing in delight at something she saw, he let himself relax a little. She turned toward him, her ponytail flying out to the side with the movement, shimmering copper under the artificial lights. Hoyt's breath caught in his throat at the sight.

"Hoyt!" she called. "It's Clifford!" She ran back to him and grabbed up his hand, dragging him along behind her as she hurried back to the booth.

"Clifford?" Hoyt looked up at the stuffed toys that lined the plywood walls and hung from the aluminum frame of the booth.

She pointed at a huge stuffed red dog that hung from the center support, excitement shining in her eyes. "Clifford. The Big Red Dog?" He could even hear the capital letters at the beginning of each word and couldn't help but smile.

The thin old woman behind the counter grinned over at them. "Three balls for five dollars, young man. Get all three through the hoop and that big ol' dog gets to go home with your pretty lady."

A little skeptical, Hoyt looked at the hoop in question and then over at the balls, barely smaller in diameter than the metal ring. It wouldn't be impossible, but it sure wouldn't be easy or even likely to get all three through it.

"I don't know…" But the look of disappointment that ghosted over Jessica's face made him reach for his wallet. With a knowing smile, the carnie pulled three balls out from under the counter and set them before Hoyt, but when Hoyt opened up his wallet to pay for the chance to win Jessica her dog, there was nothing in it but two dollars and a sad piece of lint.

He turned to Jessica. "I'm sorry. I'm outta money."

She visibly deflated, but then straightened up again and smiled at Hoyt, and if it wasn't as sunny a smile as before, it was still genuine. "That's okay, Hoyt. I don't know where I'd put Clifford, anyway."

"Tell you what I'll do for you, son. That two bucks and you sing your lady a song and you can take your three shots plus one more if you need it."

"I don't know…" Hoyt repeated, the thought of singing anything in public – church choir didn't count and he never did solos – making his stomach clench.

"Pussy."

Tommy Mickens' voice from behind Hoyt's right shoulder made his back stiffen and the hair at the back of his neck stand up. Beside him, Jessica went very still.

Hoyt turned to face Sam's little brother – and boy was that thought something to get used to. "What'd you call me?"

"You're a pussy." He pushed past Hoyt and slapped a five dollar bill down on the counter; grabbed up one of the balls the carnie had set out for Hoyt. "Too cheap to pay for the chance and too chicken shit to perform." He shot a cocky grin over his left shoulder at Jessica. "Well, I ain't got no performance issues." Mickens winked at her and then he turned and threw a ball decisively at the hoop, scoring.

Tommy reached for the second ball as Hoyt took Jessica's arm and the two of them turned to walk away. Tommy's mocking laughter followed them for a few steps. "Chicken shit coward, runnin' away from a little game," Mickens shouted, and Hoyt stopped.

"You don't have to do this, Hoyt." Jessica's voice was soft. "I don't want you embarrassin' yourself."

Hoyt looked down at her, met her eyes. "Yeah, Jess, I do." He walked back over to the booth, stopped in front of Mickens.

"C'mon, Hoyt, let's just go."

Without a word, Hoyt took the ball from Mickens' hand and fished his two dollars from his wallet, giving the money to the carnie.

"Are you really gonna stand there and make our ears bleed?" the smaller man sneered.

Jessica laid a hand on Hoyt's arm, but Hoyt shifted to the side and when her hand dropped, he took it in his and turned her toward him. He didn't know quite what he was going to sing to her, but he knew he was going to do this for her, win her that dog. No way was he going to let Tommy Mickens show him up.

"It's okay. I can sing a song for you. It's not like it's gonna kill me." He smiled at her, spun the ball he held, took a deep breath, and sang.

_"Love me tender, love me sweet. Never let me go…"_


End file.
